Gundam 14th MS Team The Lost War Chronicles
by Kerio
Summary: The chronicles of the Federation's 14th Mobile Suit Team in the One Year War...
1. Prologue A Basic History

AD  
  
1957.10.04 Soviet Union successfully launches the first man-made satellite "Sputnik" into space.  
  
1961.04.17 Soviet Union successfully launches the first manned satellite "Vostok" into space. It travels around earth.  
  
1969.07.20 America's "Apollo 11" successfully lands on the moon.  
  
1969 Professor Gerald K' O'Neil from Princeton University, America, publishes a report about Space Colonies.  
  
1975.07 American Spaceship successfully docks.  
  
1976.07 "Viking 1" successfully takes pictures of the surface of Mars.  
  
1980.11 "Voyager 1" probes Saturn successfully.  
  
1982.04 Falkland fight erupts.  
  
1986.01 Space Shuttle "Challenger" Explodes.  
  
1986 Soviet Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor Incident occurs. This incident affects the ecosystem.  
  
1992 Experimentation on Biosphere begins.  
  
1993 War erupts all over the world. A significant danger of WWIII presents itself in this year.  
  
1994.07 A Japanese woman travels to space, setting a record as the first.  
  
1999 Earth Federation Government is set up. The earth is ruled as one Country.  
  
1999.07.29 Plans to migrate humans to space are revealed.  
  
2005 Solar-powered Satellite Serial number "1" is successfully launched.  
  
2009 The Earth Federation Army is formed.  
  
2022 A mass drive is installed on the surface of the moon. 2026 The Jupiter Energy fleet is formed, and starts it's course on the orbit of the moon.  
  
2045 New Calendar - Construction on Space Colony Number 1 is started. (Which is now known as Side 1)  
  
U.C.  
  
0001 The plan to migrate humans to space begins. From this moment on, the calendar years are changed to Universal Century. Human population on earth exceeds 90 hundred million.  
  
0009 Zion Zum Daikun is born.  
  
0027 Fon Braun, the first city on the surface of the moon, is completed.  
  
0035 Construction starts on Side 3.  
  
0046 Zion Zum Daikun gives a short lecture, combining the principles of each Side ("Elism" and "Sidism") into one.  
  
0050 Total human population exceeds 110 hundred million. From this number, 90hundred million are spacenoids (space emigrants).  
  
0052 Zion Zum Daikun moves to Side 3. He starts practical application of his lecture in 0046. His merger of "Elism" and "Sidism" becomes known as "Zionism".  
  
0058 Zion Zum Daikun conveys his desire to form Side 3 into a separate Republic. He gives a speech about the Reform of Humankind - the New Type. Under his leadership, the colonies behind the moon and far from Earth are declared Independent from the Federation Government. The new Independent Colonies base themselves on the idea that Spacenoids can rule themselves, and they rename themselves the Republic of Zion. A defense department is set up in the Republic of Zion.  
  
0059 The Federation Government begins to put financial pressure on Side 3. This increases the gap between spacenoids and Earth-dwellers even more. However, the problem of money is soon dealt with in secret by Dekin Zod Zabi. Zion Zum Daikun travels widely now, spreading his ideals, and encouraging those who support his views to reside in Side 3. A Space Defense Force is set up in the name of protecting the peace.  
  
Casabel Rem Daikun (or who is later known as Char Aznable) is born.  
  
0060 The Federation Government begins a project to redevelop and strengthen their weapons. Emphasis is given to the development of a space fleet. Lunar 2 is turned into a military base.  
  
0062 Zion Defense Force is upgraded to the Zion Army. The Federation Government opposes this move. Zion Zum Daikun obtains a special type of mineral in secret, and this worries the Federation Government.  
  
Artesia Zom Daikun (later known as Sayla Mass) is born.  
  
0065 Zion Zum Daikun and the Zabi family reveal the internal quarrel over the nuances of authority.  
  
Professor Y.T. Minovsky publishes his article on Minovsky Physics, touting the existence of Minovsky particles.  
  
The Minovsky Team discovers the unique magnetic effects of the Minovsky particles after some amounts of experimentation, but they do not reveal their discoveries.  
  
0067 The Federation Government rejects the proposal from the Colonies for Self- Governance. Additionally, they increase financial pressure on Side 3 even more.  
  
0068 Zion Zum Daikun passes away (Assassination is suspected). The second in command, Dekin Zod Zabi, is appointed Prime Minister in Daikun's place.  
  
Secret plans to wage war begin.  
  
Sharunhorst Buho purchases the old European name "Rona".  
  
0068.02 Ryant heavy industries create the first robotic system with the use of the Minovsky theory.  
  
0069.08.15 The independent Republic of Zion declares itself the Principality of Zion. Side 3 is named Zion Dukedom, and the first Duke, or King to sit on the throne is Dekin Zod Zabi.  
  
Civil war breaks out between supporters of Daikun and supporters of Zabi. In the ensuing bomb blast, Dekin Zabi's second son, Dozle Zabi, is heavily injured. His third son, Sasuro Zabi dies. This provides Dekin Zod Zabi with enough motivation and cause to proceed on the wiping out of all remaining supporters of Daikun. In order to have the Zabi Family rule in entirety, Dekin Zod Zabi declares a manhunt on the remaining supporters of Zion Zum Daikun.  
  
Casabal Rem Daikun and Artesia Zom Daikun, the last remaining bloodline of the Zion Zum Daikun line, flee from Side 3 to earth with the aid of the Jinba Ral couple. They pretend to be the adopted son and daughter of the Masu Family, and change their names to Edwa Mass, and Sayla Mass.  
  
The Principality of Zion is set up, and Dekin Zod Zabi declares governance of Side 3. They strike a peace treaty with Side 6 in secret, announcing that they will not attack each other.  
  
Minovsky Particles are proven to exist, and Minovsky Physics becomes a full- fledged subject of study. Plans to use this new physics in the military begin. 0070.03 The Zion Principality releases conclusive evidence that by spreading Minovsky Particles, electronic jamming occurs.  
  
0070.05 The Principality of Zion completes its new Beam weapon, the Mega Particle Cannon.  
  
0071 The Principality of Zion begins development of weapons which are able to function even when Minovsky particles are spread.  
  
The Principality of Zion completes the first small-sized Minovsky physics- based thermo-nuclear reactor.  
  
Giren Zabi gives a speech about the "Existence of Elite Humans".  
  
0072 The Principality of Zion begins construction of the "Axis" Base on an Asteroid in the asteroid belt for the mining of ores and minerals. In order to enable "Axis" to move, they place "Axis" in the terrestrial sphere. A scientist trained in Zion is exiled from Earth.  
  
0073 Zionic, Zion's development team, complete the first new weapon. It is branded with serial number MS-01, and called a Mobile Suit, where Suit stands for "Space Utility Instruments Tactical", or Battle machines for tactical deployment in Space. The human-shaped mobile weapons originated from MS-00, and mechanism stolen from NASA's X-91 was widely used in the design. MS-01 became better known as "XC", or "Zaku" in time to come.  
  
0074 The First Zion Jupiter Energy fleet returns to its base.  
  
Casabal Rem Daikun enters Side 3's Officer Cadet School under the name 'Char Aznable'.  
  
Following MS-01, 02, and 03, MS-04, a prototype built with the Minovsky thermonuclear reactor, is successfully produced.  
  
0075.05 The Principality of Zion decides to mass-produce the MS-05 "Zaku I".  
  
0075.07 The Principality of Zion rolls out a MS-05 "Zaku I" designed for combat, and begins mass-production. At the same time, a special test-pilot task force is set up. They begin construction on new transport frigates capable of at least carrying MS. The first carrier they commission is a light Musai- class Cruiser.  
  
0075.11 The Principality of Zion sets up a large MS-Instructor Team.  
  
0076.03 The Principality of Zion commissions its first Kuwaji-class warship.  
  
0076.04 The Principality of Zion expands its MS construction bases.  
  
0076.05 The Principality of Zion conducts a simulation for the MS-Instructor Team using the MS-05 to test the capabilities of the "Zaku I".  
  
0076.06 The Principality of Zion commissions its first Zanzibar-class Mobile Cruiser. (Called thus because it is able to enter the earth's ozone)  
  
0076.12 The Principality of Zion develops several variations of MS to be used in Area-combat for the plan to attack earth, namely the Ground and Sea combat variations.  
  
A Federation construction team encounters a damaged MS-05 "Zaku I" while in the midst of moving an asteroid. However, after analysis of the data, they decide the machine is not worth taking into account since it is probably only capable of close distance attacks. They receive basic research information on Ground combat weapons from the analysis of the "Zaku I".  
  
0077 The Principality of Zion intensifies preparation for the War for Independence.  
  
A MS-05 "Zaku I" Team is sent to aid a resistance force in Side 6. The Federation retrieves technical information of Zion's MS from this skirmish.  
  
The Federation Army completes its first MS weapon, the RX-75 "Guntank" Prototype 1.  
  
The Principality of Zion expands its threshold on the moon surface, and starts strengthening of its Space Fleet. Seeing the danger of Zion being converted into a Militant country, Professor Minovsky defects to the Federation.  
  
0077.08 The Principality of Zion rolls out a prototype MS-06A "Zaku II".  
  
0077.09 The Principality of Zion begins the initial mass-production of its MS-06C "Zaku II".  
  
0078.01 The Principality of Zion upgrades its MS-05 "Zaku I", and beings mass production of the MS-06C "Zaku II".  
  
0078 The Principality of Zion arms its Musai-class cruisers.  
  
0078.02 A transportation error occurs within the colony.  
  
0078.03 The Federation Army begins development of MS under a thick veil of secrecy. Multiple projects are set into motion at the same time, and Project RX (Series Experimental) is started.  
  
0078.04 The Federation Army begins to strengthen its reserve of troops in the colonies.  
  
0078.05 Emigration to Side (Noa) 1 Colony (Green Noa) begins even though it is incomplete.  
  
The Principality of Zion completes development of its experimental MS variations for land and sea. The resultant MS are MS-07, 08, 09, as well as MSM-01~08.  
  
Along with these new MS Variations also come the conceptual plans for mobile weapons with firepower superior to the Mobile Suits. (Later known as the Mobile Armour, or MA.)  
  
0078.06 The Principality of Zion starts development on the "Teib" variation for their Chibe-class cruisers.  
  
0078.08 The Federation Army rolls out its first Ground-type transformable MS Prototype 1. It is able to transform 3 times, and is equipped with caterpillar tracks. (This prototype appears in Gundam-F91)  
  
0078.10 The Principality of Zion issues a conscription order for all its able- bodied men to undergo training for combat.  
  
Internal strife about the tactical deployment of new MS in Zion headquarters between Dozle Zabi and Kishilia Zabi erupt. To smooth these quarrels over, Girin Zabi proposes to split Zion forces into 2, and has Dozle Zabi take charge of the warship-centered Space Assault Contingent, and Kishilia take charge of the MS-centered Mobile Assault Contingent. Dozle Zabi is promoted to Admiral and Kishilia Zabi to Vice Admiral.  
  
0078.11 The Federation Army organizes a Ship-Inspection Ceremony despite criticism.  
  
0078.12 The Principality of Zion begins the construction of the Doloz-class Super Sized Space Command Frigate.  
  
0078 Johnny Ridden joins The Principality of Zion's Civil Defense Team.  
  
0079.01.03 07:20 - The One Year War Erupts. Under the name of "The Principality of Zion", Side 3 declares independence on the Federation Army, challenging the Federation to a battle for self-governance.  
  
3 seconds after the declaration of war, a Federation Patrol ship is attacked.  
  
At the same time, the MS main force moves in to Sides 1, 2, and 4 for an overall offensive.  
  
07:45 - The Federation Army HQ at Jaburo receives the declaration of war. The Federation defense at all Sides attacked are decimated. General Reveille's Fleet are only barely able to defend Side 5.  
  
The Principality of Zion launches NBC Weapons on various Sides. 


	2. Chapter 1 Island Ifishu

Gundam Side Story : Where the Blue Skies end  
  
Chapter 1 : Island Ifishu  
  
Location : Lunar 2 space Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 1527 hours  
  
"Ensign 005! Watch your Wing!" The radio crackled as sounds of explosion rang through the space. The Sabrefish shook violently as a nearby ally was assaulted by a giant human-shaped robot.  
  
"So these are mobile suits..." Ensign Yuji pulled up as an enemy mobile suit drew too close to his Sabrefish plane. "The federation won't fall so easily...!"  
  
The Ensign maneuvered around an enemy MS, firing missiles as he did so. He had already witnessed the superior defensive and offensive power of the enemy weapons, and had already wasted all his guns covering his now dead squad leader. Against such massive odds, he had already done well, managing to down 4 enemy MS with guns alone, but the battle was obviously going against their favour. The enemy MS turned as the missiles blasted off its arm and raised its other arm, which now held a large melee weapon. The axe- like weapon was larger than his plane, thought Yuji. Pushing the boosters as hard as he dared, he flew past the axe, missing it by bare inches. The heat from the weapon, however, burned his left thruster and rendered it useless as it burst into flames. Grunting as the shockwave from the explosion rocked the plane, Yuji pulled up once more and turned quickly, firing the remainder of his missiles in rapid succession. Hitting the enemy MS like rain, the missiles managed to find a sensitive spot, and the cockpit of the MS was blown open, revealing the enemy pilot, his face showing shock and disbelief just as the MS exploded, scattering debris all over. Several pieces of debris cut into Yuji's Sabrefish even as he pushed the boosters to its maximum to escape from the fiery explosion.  
  
"Ensign! Are you still there? Carrier Chibera's been hit!" The battle control operator reported.  
  
"What?! Our carrier?! Were there any survivors?"  
  
"Afraid not Ensign--its bridge was apparently decimated by some kind of hand-held weapon or something..."  
  
"Yeah, I just saw it." Yuji grimaced. With his plane seriously damaged and running low on fuel, he could well be trapped in empty space forever if he didn't find a place to at least do some repairs. He was already heading away from the battle, so it was imperative he found a landing spot now. "Where do we go now?" He asked.  
  
"The cruiser Athelas' making rounds collecting the injured back to the Drop- zone. It's the only ship going out now, Ensign. If you miss this ride you're going to have to walk."  
  
"Understood. Send me the grid-points and I'll make my way there now." Yuji flicked his onboard computer on, and as the co-ordinates appeared on his screen, he input the numbers in, and left it on auto-pilot sitting back with his eyes closed. Space was a large vacuum – a silent, airless showcase of planetary bodies, but as Yuji listened, he felt a pang of sorrow as garbled screams came through the intercom from Federation troops requesting back-up, screaming for help, for more firepower, for their mothers...  
  
When the sounds finally died down as he left the combat area, he opened his eyes and looked at his ancestral home--the Planet Earth. A glowing blue ball, pure and azure from above, it would soon be scarred eternally by Zion's Operation British. Even as the silence was disturbed periodically by the echoes of explosions from the distant battle, Yuji could still hear the screams of his friends in his cockpit, and worse of all; he could still remember the expression on the Zion pilot as he was sent to his fiery demise. He felt battered, and he was getting a headache worse than he could ever remember having.  
  
==========  
  
Location : Cruiser Athelas, designated 12th fleet Scout, commanded by Captain Lucella Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 2025 hours  
  
"Ensign Yuji?" The guard checked his pass and looked him up and down. Satisfied, he returned the pass to Yuji and grinned. "The Captain would like a word with you. Her cabin is on the 2nd floor. Well done back there, Ensign. You're probably going to be made an ace today. We marked 5 of them MS you destroyed back there."  
  
"Five?" Yuji raised his eyebrows in momentary surprise.  
  
"Ah. Yes." I killed 5 men today, a quiet voice said in his head. "Thank you, sergeant." His shoes clicking on the well-polished floors of the corridor, Yuji knocked cautiously on Captain Lucella's door, and conscientiously adjusted his collar.  
  
"Enter."  
  
Yuji opened the door and marched through, coming to a standard military 2- step stop and saluting. "Ma'am!"  
  
He barked. "Ensign Yuji Evin, Reporting!" Following an unspoken rule, he adjusted his gaze to look at a point approximately a half meter above the Captain's head.  
  
"Ah." The Captain closed the book she was reading with a snap and stared at Yuji thoughtfully. "You've come into contact with the enemy's new weapon, the-" She referred to the book again, "-the Zaku, MS-05 and MS-06, I believe they're called." She stared at Yuji for an uncomfortable period of time, and Yuji fought the urge to blink.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am."He said, quietly.  
  
"What do you think of the odds so far, then?"  
  
"I believe the Federation will endure, Ma'am!" He replied, a little too loudly. "I believe we will win this war with our military might, Ma'am!"  
  
There was silence as the Captain stared at Yuji with her hands steeped over her knees. "If I wanted to hear that, I would have called for one of my own soldiers, young man. Give me the truth."  
  
Yuji lowered his eyes to look at the Captain. She had an attractive head of red hair, and bright green eyes, weary but alert, and her face was lined with age and the burden of responsibility.  
  
"The Zaku is no simple piece of machinery, Ma'am." He replied, cautiously. You could never tell with officers.  
  
"...And?" She shifted impatiently.  
  
"They're like men, but 10-20 times larger, almost impervious to our vulcans, and are heavily armed, Ma'am. They're quick and can maneuver more efficiently than any of our space planes. They're able to bring down entire battleships with one single shot of that bazooka thing, and they can cleave any plane clean into half with one swipe of their axes."  
  
"It's called a Tomahawk, actually." The Captain interrupted, her eyes showing a mixture of resignation and weariness. "They call it a 'Zaku Tomahawk'. Hmph. How creative. " She added dryly. "And you haven't answered my question yet."  
  
"I believe if we don't have any better weapons than the ones we have now, Ma'am, we don't stand a chance." Yuji felt a wave of relief wash over him even as he said it. It was a fact not many of the pompous Federation Officials would have willingly admitted.  
  
The Captain smiled, showing a face which would have been stunningly beautiful just 10 years ago. "We have received orders from the HQ back on earth for test pilots, and since we're a little short on pilots here, I've decided to send you instead. You shall leave on the 5th, when we pass by a Federation Base drop- zone. Do you have any questions?" She asked.  
  
Yuji thought for a while. He was almost disappointed to have to leave the battlefield, but he had a feeling the battle would last for far longer than he'd expected. All in all, it would probably be a good thing to be on the forefront of development. At least he'd die in a familiar place, though he was born in space. His blood called to him. "No, Ma'am."  
  
"Good." The Captain stood. "Then you shall know for certain whether or not the Federation has anything up their sleeves. I, for one, would be most interested to know." She took a box out from a small, unlocked safe. "You have earned this through blood and sweat, I have no doubt. And now you shall receive what you deserve." She took out a small, golden embroidered pin, a badge exactly the same as the normal pilot's 'wings' except with two small stars on the sides, and removed the adhesive film, moving to within a breath's space from Yuji. She smelt faintly of flowers, but it was overpowered by the heavy scent of metal and grease. Pinning the badge on Yuji's shoulder, she stepped back, and saluted. Yuji returned the salute.  
  
She then went back to the safe and retrieved yet another badge. "And I have been told you shall be promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade for your prowess in battle. Here, Lieutenant, is your rank insignia." She handed the black striped cloth to Yuji, and picked up the ceremonial sword in the corner. "And here is your sword of office." Yuji took the sword, and saluted once more, his feelings mixed and somewhat confused by the unofficial state at which this had just happened. He had expected more fanfare.  
  
The Captain returned the salute, and nodded, indicating he could go. "Good luck on earth, Lieutenant Yuji." Stepping back, Yuji turned and marched out, an officer of the Federation Forces.  
  
==========  
  
The next few days were hectic as messages poured in through the ship's radio, reporting details of Zion's Operation British. No force mustered within the Federation could stop the movement of the military strength of the Principality of Zion, and hope was fading fast. Zion's plan was to drop an entire colony into the Federation HQ in Jaburo, and even knowing this, there was nothing they could do to stop them. Troops ran to and fro the ship, conveying messages, tending to the injured already on the ship, tending to supplies, and making modifications to weapons hoping to, somehow, make a difference.  
  
While this was happening, Yuji spent his time in the hangar, watching the troops go about their business. He was going to drive a simple jeep after his drop down to earth in the HLV, since he was going a separate direction from the other injured, and the fuelling and checking had long been done. He propped himself on a cargo box, and observed as men scrambled around. A young soldier sat down beside him to rest, sighing as he did so.  
  
"Pretty pointless isn't it?" The soldier remarked as he stared at his fellow men.  
  
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "So why do it?"  
  
"We're all trying to protect something, someone precious to us." The soldier took a swig from his canteen and offered it to Yuji. It smelled suspiciously like alcohol. Yuji declined the offer.  
  
"The thing is, a war is never just on a one-to-one scale. We don't fight oppressors or enemies and stop the war if we kill them—we kill them, the war continues." He sat back with a thud. "They kill us, the war also continues."  
  
There was a moment of contemplative silence.  
  
"But once a war is started it has a soul of its own. It becomes a beast hungry for blood. People make offerings to all kinds of Gods, and yet they do not realize this: the most blood-thirsty God is the one they created—the one made of machinery and clockwork, which runs and runs and never stops."  
  
"The war will end, eventually." Yuji pointed out.  
  
"Yes. Yes it will. But new wars will spring out. Wars springing from the minds and chests of men who grew up in the midst of war and are unable to come to terms with peace. Wars from men who desire war to secure political positions. Men who wish to make blood offerings to this mechanical beast called civilization so they can become leaders of their own little kingdom."  
  
"What? I thought you were talking about war when you committed blasphemy just now?"  
  
The soldier smiled. "Oh yes. War is blood-thirsty. Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures. Mankind endures. The machine keeps running. Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner."  
  
"Maybe you're right. But I doubt if anyone is charismatic enough to bring active thought to the human race." Yuji drummed his fingers on his knee. "I mean, look at Zion Daikun, and Dekin Zabi. Powerful men who brought powerful ideas to their people. Men rallied behind them, and would kill for their ideas and for them to lead them. But the point still sticks – Men want other men to lead them. They don't want to think. They want a good idea, a good way to live. No one wants to live—everyone wants to follow. This, perhaps, is why civilization gets its sacrifice."  
  
The soldier grinned. "Nice to know someone here agrees with me. I'm Peter."  
  
"Yuji." They shook hands. For some reason, rank no longer mattered, not when death was staring in one's face. It was a good feeling, to be surrounded by thinking men, not followers.  
  
"Well, gotta get to work." Peter swung himself off the crate.  
  
"So what are you fighting for?" Yuji shouted after him.  
  
Peter smiled. "I fight for my life, my friend."  
  
The remaining day passed by quickly as Yuji sat, engrossed in thought. There was precious little a single soldier could do in the war, but if it was possible to change the direction of war by his own will, he would try. As he sunk into dejected acceptance, there was nothing left to do but sit in silence as he watched desperation creep up on his fellow soldiers.  
  
January 5th, UC 0079 Time : 0700 hours  
  
"Lieutenant!" The runner saluted to Yuji and ran forward. "I bring word from Captain Lucella : 'We are approaching the Drop-Zone, and you are to prepare to drop by 2315 hours today, after which our fleet shall proceed with full speed to the front to join the 4th Federation Assault Team in battle.'" He saluted again, and after waiting just a second to see if Yuji had anything to say, ran back the way he came.  
  
The 4th Team...led by Admiral Mcharty Deiam. It was a good Squad, with a capable leader and crack troops, but against the Zion weapons, it was still suicide.  
  
For the rest of the day Yuji stared through the port hole on the Cruiser, knowing it'd be the last time he'd see Space for a long, long time.  
  
Packing the last of his items, Yuji entered the HLV, and strapped himself in. Groaning men, injured and bandaged heavily, propped themselves up against their seats, clenching their teeth and fists. The air was heavy with the smell of metal, grease, sweat, blood, and the unmistakable smell of fear. From there they'd go on a 24 hour journey, circling the globe until it was inside the range of the Federation Drop-Zone, and from there it'd enter the atmosphere, and drop into the vicinity of the New Zealand federation base. But within those 24 hours, they were totally open to external attack, since the HLV had no defensive weapons whatsoever, and was too large and bulky to move strategically. Having witnessed the powers of the Zaku, Yuji had no doubt even the heavily armored HLV would be decimated within seconds if they were targeted. It was equipped with extra thrusters for it's course, but even that couldn't help if the HLV couldn't manage evasive maneuvers.  
  
"All in?" The pilot's voice came in, tinny through the huge space inside the HLV. "One short? Well, we don't have time to be waiting for any of the ladies. We're dropping. Prepare yourselves and don't say anything until I tell you it's okay to, unless you feel peckish for some of your own tongue."  
  
The airlock was released as the cargo door opened, and the HLV floated through. As it dropped clear of the Salamis-Class cruiser, the pilot ignited the thrusters, and Yuji felt the powerful jolt as the HLV started on its course around the globe.  
  
==========  
  
January 6th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Missile-Torpedo Assault Fleet and the 4th Federation Assault Fleet encounter Zion troops, and a battle ensues.  
  
==========  
  
In another area, 50 km above the ozone January 6th, UC 0079 Time : 2200 hours  
  
"Personnel please strap in—we've encountered the enemy."  
  
The terrifying news was reported to the occupants of the HLV with the deadpan voice of the HLV commander, and it did not help to alleviate the already tense mood in the vessel.  
  
Yuji sat back and closed his eyes. Dammit! There was no chance of them getting away—if there were Zakus, they would be utterly destroyed. There was one chance for survival, though. He picked up the intercom, and before he could speak, another voice rang through—loud and authoritative.  
  
"Caius here. What are our combat capabilities?"  
  
There was crackle from the intercom as the Vessel commander leafed through his pages of inventory.  
  
"We have two Sabrefish being transported to the NZ base, and a land-rover, is all. ...Lieutenant Caius, isn't it?"  
  
"Aye. Listen—I'll need ta pilot one of 'em. Think ye can arrange that 'afore the enemy reaches us?"  
  
"Er, sure, but we're not sure how many enemy pilots we're dealing with, so—"  
  
"Disna matter ta me. Men die. I dinna ken aboot yer, but I'd rather die fighting then sitting in this piece o'shit waitin' ta be hatched. Tell me when ye're ready ta launch me at 'em."  
  
There was a pause as the Commander translated this verbal onslaught silently.  
  
"Er...okay. You'd best make preparations in the hangar then, the Sabrefish's already fired up."  
  
Yuji craned his neck to see who the man with the irish accent was, and saw a stocky, untidy man with a five-o'clock shadow stand and stride over to the hangar. A faint tinkling drew Yuji's attention to a small bell on the man's belt.  
  
It was at least a half hour before the commander announced again, "We've received information that the Zion squad directly ahead of us appear to consist of only Gattles, With any luck, we shall pull through this without too much damage. Escort?"  
  
The radio crackled. "Aye, I'm here. I'll engage 'em when I'm in range. Only aboot 3 ter 4 of the craven bastards—It'll be doon 'afore ye can feel it."  
  
The silence that followed seemed to drag on forever, and only their accelerating heartbeats could be heard above the gentle hum of the machinery.  
  
The intercom crackled again as the escort reported, "Caius here. I got 'em suckers in me sight. 5 Gattles in one of em' stupid duck-like formations." There was a wicked chuckle. "'Allo boys—who's yer daddy?!" There was a roar of thrusters and the radio went silent.  
  
The muffled sounds of battle filtered through the thick armor of the HLV, and men pushed their heads hard on the wall, preparing for any impact. Surprisingly, there was only one.  
  
A few minutes later Lieutenant Caius strode through the Hangar doors amidst ragged cheers. He had a broad smile on his face. The Commander of the HLV, however, brought an end to this festive mood.  
  
"We were hit in the fuel tanks by one of the Gattles—there isn't any major damage, meaning we can still enter the atmosphere, but we had to drop the damaged fuel tank. We're running too low--we're going to have to land in the area around New Zealand and not in the actual base—if we're lucky. Sit tight. Drop begins in T minus 12 minutes."  
  
==========  
  
January 7th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Assault Team Reaches the war front. Interceptor missiles are launched in huge numbers from the Northern and Southern Polar Missile-tracking bases.  
  
==========  
  
January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 0932 hours  
  
"Captain Lucella! Admiral Mcharty's given the orders to engage! Enemy sighted in sectors 1, 2, and 3!"  
  
"Launch Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 and provide cover fire—increase forward thrust to 40%, maintain course and channel all remaining energy to the shields."  
  
"Acknowledged, Captain."  
  
"Captain Lucella! Our forces in sectors 2 have been decimated! Sector 1 is requesting backup!"  
  
"What?!" Captain Lucella tapped her fingers irritably on her arm-rest and scowled. "Cut forward thrust engines, reverse thrust 80%, head to sector 1 and launch Sabrefish teams 2 and 4—send word to teams 1 and 5 to keep within the range of our fire. Release power from the shields and channel the energy to the guns—head to the point between the two sectors!"  
  
"But captain, that'll bring us into the middle of the fight!"  
  
"That can't be helped. If we do this quickly we can rescue the survivors before our ship is too heavily damaged, with any luck. Inform infirmary to prepare the bay for the injured. Send Sabrefish teams 3 and 6 out as escorts, and fire the covering missiles once the enemy is sighted. Inform turrets to spread their fire."  
  
"Acknowledged, Cap'n."  
  
"Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 launched, Cap'n."  
  
"Captain! Enemies closing in, fast!"  
  
"What?! Call in team 2 to provide cover for the ship! What're teams 2 and 4 waiting for?! Send out Teams 3 and 6 now! Scramble, Gentlemen! This is war!"  
  
"Yes Ma'am!"  
  
"Object closing in too fast Cap'n! Team 2 has been destroyed!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Enemy within visual range Ma'am! It's...it's huge! How can anything that big move that fast?!"  
  
"Reverse thrust 100%! Fire blanket missiles! Concentrate main guns on enemy!"  
  
"Blanket missiles firing, ma'am!"  
  
"Missed! All our missiles have missed, Cap'n!"  
  
"Look at that thing move!"  
  
"What is that, a machine gun?!"  
  
"All escort teams have been decimated, Cap'n!"  
  
Lucella sat up straight in shock.  
  
"Blue One's taken down an enemy, Ma'am!"  
  
"Blue One? Peter?" Lucella groaned. "I thought I sent him off to New Zealand!"  
  
"The enemy is closing in, Ma'am! Blue One is down!"  
  
"No...Peter!"  
  
"The enemy is—AAAAARR—!"  
  
==========  
  
January 8th, UC 0079 : Under Admiral Mcharty Deiam, the 4th Federation Assault Team joins the fray. They retreat after suffering more than 70 % damage.  
  
==========  
  
January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 1350 hours  
  
The land rover's engine whined horribly as it climbed the last hill as the weight bore the vehicle down. They were over-weight, but most of the weight consisted of supplies which would last the men for days, and Yuji knew it. The 6 men didn't weigh much—most of them were skin and bones, and some of them had lost so much blood Yuji doubted they would make it past sunset. Yuji was the only person who looked vaguely human, and that was only if the dried blood from the cut on his face was caught in a good light.  
  
The past few hours since the announcement to land had been a blur. He could only deduce that a stray missile had hit them, and the last remaining thruster had gone up in flames. The thruster had been too close to the fuel, and the resulting explosion had almost destroyed them all. Fortunately, they had crashed in a large river, and this had cooled the heated fuel tank enough for Yuji to get the injured into the land rover and out of the vicinity of the ensuing explosion. There was no sign of the Irish lieutenant or the Commander of the HLV, but then, the two Sabrefish were gone, so Yuji assumed they had bailed out in mid-air.  
  
They had landed somewhere in the area of Adelaide and this at least was an improvement, since the medical facilities in the vicinity would at least save the men from certain death. From there he could go on to Sydney Base, where he could hitch a ride to New Zealand Base, if all went well.  
  
==========  
  
January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 0600 hrs  
  
"The men are under the purview of the Federation Army. Please see to it that they are taken care of, Ma'am." Yuji clasped the hand of the nurse, and smiled, though the stitches on his face stung like hell.  
  
"It is my duty to, Lieutenant. You are sure you will not stay to have that stitch looked after?" The nurse asked.  
  
"Sorry Ma'am, but I have my duties too, and right now, I have to get to Sydney Base."  
  
"Well then, good luck. I took the liberty of refueling and restocking your land rover, so you shouldn't have any difficulties getting there. You should reach in less than a day, if you take the highway. Good luck, Lieutenant."  
  
"Thank you." Yuji saluted, and strode off to the parking lot.  
  
==========  
  
January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 2317 hrs  
  
"What in the name of the Gods?!" Yuji's Land Rover screeched to a stop and he stared in disbelief at the skies in the distance. It looked as if there was a second moon in the sky, and it was getting bigger.  
  
==========  
  
January 10th, UC 0079 : The Coloney "Island Ifishu" penetrates the Ozone, but breaks up upon entering, deviating its trajectory, and landing in Sydney, Australia, instead of the intended Federation HQ, Jaburo. Zion Escorts acknowledge the failure of Operation British, and retreat temporarily. The interference of the Ozone from the entry of the Colony triggers off an immense change in weather, as well as temperature around the world. The battle from 0079 3rd January to 10th January becomes known as the One Week War. In this one week, 30 hundred million, or 25% of the human population perish. Using this interference from the ozone, Zion drops large numbers of Mobile Suits to Earth.  
  
==========  
  
January 10th, UC 0079 Time : 1900 hrs  
  
Yuji grimaced as he emerged from the small cave. The trees and bushes he had seen when he had entered the cave were gone, blown away by the force of the explosion from the Colony Drop. The minute he had seen the Colony in the night sky, Yuji had doubled back into the forests, where he had seen a cave facing Adelaide. It was a small, damp cave, but it was large enough to hold his land rover. As he had watched in horror, the Colony had landed directly on Sydney, and the explosion had rocked the grounds, even where he was. The sound was terrific, and the resulting super-heated winds had eaten away everything in its path—trees, grass, buildings, roads, human flesh and bone.  
  
He had very nearly been caved in, if not for the fact that his cave was facing the opposite direction of the incredible explosion. He could still see the face of the man who had flown past his cave, arms and legs askew like a broken toy, his flesh being melted off like ice in the heat of a torch-blower. Then there was the little girl who was still alive when she tumbled past his cavern hole, holding on to a torn female arm which was probably her mother's...that expression of disbelief, of shock, of goddamn innocence...!  
  
He walked out of the cavern, and stood atop the rock, surveying the damage. It had been stripped of sand and moss, and all around him a barren waste lay where nature had once reigned supreme. A wind as hot as boiling water swirled around the smoking ruins—a masterpiece of the singularity of human thought.  
  
(War is blood-thirsty.)  
  
(Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures.)  
  
(Mankind endures. The machine keeps running.)  
  
(The look of pure, stunned innocence flashing across the little girl's face as her mother's hands fused with her own.)  
  
(Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner.)  
  
Yuji raised his face to the red skies, and bellowed, a tremendous sound of animal rage released at the diplomacy and stupidity of it all, a sound which echoed, and echoed, and echoed. 


	3. Chapter 2 Operation Peking

Chapter 2 : Peking Battle Operation  
  
January 11th, UC 0079 The day after the Colony Drop  
  
It was noon before Yuji reached Adelaide again. He felt battered, and dead inside him, but more than anything he felt a fire within his spirit so strong it seemed to engulf him. Right after he had started the engine to return to the Australian state, the radio had reported that the 4th Federation Assault Fleet led by Admiral Mcharty had retreated, with 70% casualties. Captain Lucella's carrier, the "Athelas", had no doubt been sunk, since the radio newsperson had kindly read out the names of the surviving captains of the vessels still afloat. And right after that, in line with delicious irony, the broadcaster had reported that Side 6 was declaring itself neutral, an island of nonchalance in the midst of a raging inferno.  
  
Yuji didn't know why, but he somehow felt insulted by that.  
  
There was a small federation supply base in Adelaide, but Yuji wasn't sure if he could get to New Zealand from there. The destruction from the Zion Colony Drop had not only turned Sydney into a sea, it had also affected the ozone layer, making a temporary hole so large there was little protection against the rays of the sun. An hour in the open would render any man crispy. Planes were probably a lot like flying microwave ovens in this temperature.  
  
He jumped out of his Land Rover as he pulled up beside the sheltered Adelaide Base, dragging his supplies with him quickly. The heat had already blown all the street lamps, and the glass lay on the concrete floors, melting away merrily. Vehicles left in the open too long had blown their glass from the extreme heat, and their doors and hoods were starting to warp. It had rained the night before—a cursed hail of boiling water from the rivers and streams emptied from the Colony Drop, and it had fallen like sharp daggers on unsuspecting pedestrians. Many had to be treated with burns, and some of the more unlucky ones had to be warded. Some died from the steam exuded as the hail poured in a hellish torrent onto the surrounding states. Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne...  
  
Yuji stopped short as the Commander of Adelaide Base stepped out of the sealed, air-conditioned control room to meet him.  
  
"Junior Lieutenant Yuji Evin, reporting, Sir!" "At ease, soldier." The Commander was a large, demeaning man with a thick mustache and equally thick, brown hair. "I'm Colonel Tyler. I was informed by New Zealand Base Commander that you might pass by here." Before Yuji had left the base, he had already contacted New Zealand Base, informing the registry that he would report to their base by traveling from Sydney. Apparently they had assumed correctly that with the destruction of the Sydney Base, he would return to the Adelaide Base. "Yes Sir. May I ask if I can acquire some kind of transport to the New Zealand base from here, Sir?" The Colonel grunted, not being used to the heat pouring in from the entrance. "No, not here. We only co-ordinate supplies and organize some small sorties. The closest place you can acquire any kind of transport capable of traveling to NZ in this kind of weather is in Alice Springs. It's not even a base, though. It's civilian. You're going to have to buy your way to NZ, I'm afraid. Take these credits." The Colonel produced a small card from his pocket and offered it to Yuji. "Your liaison is also civilian—name's Yuno, Japanese. You're in good hands. Her number's on the card—call her when you get there." The Colonel saluted quickly. He was starting to perspire. Yuji returned the salute and dragged his supplies back to his land rover, just in time to see the tires explode from the heat. He heard a barely audible snicker from the Colonel as he re-entered the base. Cursing, he prodded the door open with a stick, and, thankful he had left the engine running, drove very slowly to a shelter, where he changed the tires and went on his way.  
  
==========  
  
January 13th, UC 0079 Time : 0600 hours  
  
Progress had been slow. Although the heat had subsided substantially, Yuji didn't dare to travel too fast, because his engines were already making a funny noise. He was more than thankful his fuel tanks hadn't exploded, but that was because he stopped for shelter when the midday sun was out. He kept himself awake during his early morning (or really late-night) drives by listening to the secret Federation Broadcast station. It didn't report much, except how many of their men they were losing in the war, every day. There had been spirited attempts to glorify the number of kills the Federation pilots had made, until the broadcaster realized it sounded stupid saying things like, 'One of ours made a kill this morning!' followed by 'In other news, the entire 5th fleet was destroyed by a Red Zaku this morning.', because it only made the overwhelming difference even more apparent. Yuji had looked forward to those broadcasts, because it had made him laugh.  
  
He was thinking about the Red Zaku when the radio announced, very quietly, that Zion was attempting Operation British once again. Plans were being made, the announcer reported, to stop the catastrophe from happening again.  
  
Yuji cursed, and accelerated. If only there was something he could do—some effort he could make to stop Zion from attempting these inhumane things...to never have to see that scene again...  
  
The look of pure, stunned innocence flashing across the little girl's face as her mother's hands fused with her own.  
  
Yuji floored the pedal and the engine roared into life.  
  
==========  
  
January 13th, UC 0079 Time : 0920 hours  
  
"Ms Yuno? I'm Yuji Evin, from the Federation Forces. Where can I meet you?" With one hand on the wheel and another holding the card, Yuji cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear. "I'll meet you near at the North entrance, Lieutenant. Are you already here?" the soft voice was pitched slightly low, indicating the person had just been woken up by Yuji. It had a slightly reprimanding tone. "Well, I'm 10 minutes away from the town. Take your time Ma'am, I'll wait." Yuji heard a loud thud and the other person on the line iterated clearly audible swear words he had not expected any woman to know. "Sorry 'bout that, hit my f- ..er, foot, aha!-yes, foot, on the, er, corner of the, urm, bed. I'll be seeing you then, Lieutenant." There was another curse, cut short as Ms Yuno switched off her handset. Yuji held the phone for a while as he permitted himself to raise an eyebrow speechlessly.  
  
Alice Springs was in the outback of Australia, in the centre of nowhere, but it wasn't sleepy like most other nature-based towns, it was modern and trendy, and was a perfect place to visit. Now, however, a terrified silence covered the town, as the citizens stayed indoors, away from the unshielded light of the sun, terrified to even look in the skies against the glare of the sun to see if there was another colony dropping on them.  
  
There was a red land-rover parked below the shadow of a large building. Most of the trees were barren, their leaves stripped away in the intense heat. A young woman came out of the car and waved as Yuji drove towards her.  
  
"Yuji Evin, Ma'am." He parked in the shade, as close as he could to the stone building, and extended his hand to the young woman. She had a baseball cap on, with a ponytail peeking out from behind her cap. She was wearing a tank top, cut jeans, and sunglasses. The sun had been extremely vigorous recently, and Yuji had largely avoided the harmful effects by staying out of the roads in daylight and driving at full speed at night. His body had been quick to react, and the sudden drops in temperature – from the blazing heat of the day to the freezing cold of the nights, were almost taking their toll on him.  
  
The young woman extended a hand. "I'm Yuno Enoshima. Pleased to meet you." They shook hands, and Yuno subconsciously wiped her hands on her jeans. "Please show me your ID, Lieutenant."  
  
Yuji fumbled around, produced it, and she returned the ID after checking it thoroughly. They transferred Yuji's stores from his battered Federation Land-rover to Yuno's Red land-rover. There was a small federation logo on the hood of the Land-Rover's trunk.  
  
"You came from Colonel Tyler, yes?" Yuno asked. "Well, there are certain things even he did not know about peaceful Alice Springs. Let me show you what I mean." They drove for a half-hour, and as Yuji watched in disbelief, part of a cliff opened up, and they entered a small compound. Yuno stopped her car, and they emerged. It was cool, and the soft humming of machinery even though there wasn't any machinery in sight told Yuji this was not just a hiding place. The floor jolted, and started moving down.  
  
As the lift reached the deepest level, the sight from the descending lift that greeted Yuji was nothing he had ever seen. The gigantic base lay deep within the earth, but it wasn't just a huge warehouse like many of the underground bases Yuji had seen—it had an entire fleet of Medea Transport Planes, rows and rows of Type 61 Tanks, and an entire runway dedicated to more than 10 squadrons of Flymander Attack airplanes. Far behind the Flymanders Yuji could see a darker colored plane being worked on.  
  
"This, Lieutenant Yuji, is Alice Springs Base." Yuno said, a small smile on her face. "Here we prepared for the eventual attack of Zion when we received news of their increasing military strength a year ago." Her smile faded. "But yet with all the logistics preparations, all the mustering and development, we still have not found any weapon powerful enough to stop the "Zaku". And now, we hear, the Zion Aces are making their names by killing more of our Federation Pilots." She turned to Yuji. "New Zealand is one of many facilities for development—the others are in Japan, China, Africa, USA, even Sydney, which was home to so many promising plans. We are desperate for test pilots, Lieutenant, but everyday we try, experiments fail, and people die. And everyday, the Zion Army kills more of our own."  
  
The lift stopped, and Yuno stepped out. "We need a miracle, Lieutenant. And we're hoping someone will bring us one quickly." 


End file.
